ALGARVE CAR HIRE - NEWS

Eco-greenhouse agricultural park

Two Dutch agricultural producers from Odemira have announced their plans to create an ‘agricultural park’ made up of ecological glass greenhouses that will cover 180 hectares of land and will function like a ‘condominium’ for various horticultural or floricultural companies. The project, Hortas do Mira, was born after Dutch company Atlantic Growers, which produces peppers in eco-greenhouses using high-tech equipment, settled in the region and discovered its agricultural potential.

The project proposes an area of 180 hectares should be used to build greenhouses for between 20 and 30 companies; an investment of around €200 million that will take shape in five to eight years and could create up to 900 jobs.

The idea is that is works as a ‘condominium’, where investment is shared, using technology that is currently being applied on the six hectares that belong Atlantic Growers.

This ‘model’ greenhouse has an annual production of 300 tons per hectare, which is four to five times superior to that of the traditional ‘plastic’ greenhouses more commonly used in Portugal, according to Ferry Enthoven, the second partner in the project.

Even with different production, “whether it is tomatoes, flowers or peppers” the intention is that companies “work together”.

At present legal requirements are being studied to make the Hortas do Mira project a reality.

It is hoped that companies will be able to start setting up in three to four months’ time.